Paprika Butter

(Keto, Low-Carb, Gluten-Free & Grain-Free)

With just 2 ingredients!

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Have you been avoiding butter, like I did for years, for fear that it would make you fat?  Well, fear no more.  It turns, out eating fat in the form of butter isn’t to blame.  In fact, it’s one of the healthier foods you can eat.  And this paprika butter recipe is a great way to add more healthy, buttery fat to your diet.

How To Make Paprika Butter

This seasoned paprika butter couldn’t be easier to make.  It only requires 2 ingredients:

• Butter
• Paprika Powder

That’s it!  It’s as easy as putting the two ingredients in a small bowl, mixing them together and there you have it!

Butter

Butter and healthy fats are a touchy subject these days.  Even though there are studies showing that eating fat doesn’t make you fat, it is still ingrained in our society that it does, due to a publication of an article in 1983 by the Framingham studies that claimed it does.  This idea that eating fat makes you fat has been erroneously advertised and has had Americas eating low-fat or fat-free ever since.

Ironically, Robert C. Atkins published his book on the Atkins diet in 1972, stating otherwise, just over 10 years earlier.  It’s unfortunate that we didn’t all listen! 

It turns out that toxins and polyunsaturated fats found in industrial seed oils and poorly fed animals are to blame for clogging arteries and causing inflammation.  Consuming these harmful omega-6 fatty acids cause an increase in your chance of having a stroke or heart attack.  Harmful industrial seed oils include canola oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, soybean oil and sunflower oil and should be avoided at all cost!

Quality Matters

Some people still claim that butter increases cholesterol levels and clogs arteries.  This may be true if butter is of poor quality.  You see, butter is only as good as the animal it comes from.  That’s why I always choose high-quality butter that is from grass-fed cows.

As you probably know, butter is a by-product of the milk that comes from mammals, usually cows.  It is made by churning the milk, which separates the fat from the liquid, known as buttermilk.

The way the animal was fed has a major effect on the nutrition of the beef or dairy products that come from that animal.  The truth is, cows were not meant to eat grains.  They were biologically made to eat grass.  When cows are fed grains in feedlots, usually in the form of corn and soy, their health and nutrition decline drastically.  Which is why they are given antibiotics.

Grass-Fed vs. Grain-Fed

Whether an animal is grass-fed or grain-fed (i.e. fed corn or soy), determines the nutrient composition of its fatty acids. For example, grass-fed cows:

• Produce healthier omega-3 fats, high in DHA and EPA, than grain-fed cows.  There is a better omega-3 to omega-6 ratio and fewer toxins (i.e. butter from grain-fed cows is much higher in omega-6 fatty acids),
• Produce butter containing five times more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than grain-fed cows,
• Do not contain added hormones or antibiotics, as grain-fed cows do,
• Produce butter that is higher in fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K2, as well as iodine, selenium and lecithin than grain-fed cows and
• Produce butter that is richer in antioxidants, healthy cholesterol and saturated fat than grain-fed beef.

So, the quality of your butter really does matter.  This is yet another reason to make your own food at home.  You can make sure the quality is up to your standards to ensure the healthiest of foods.

Health Benefits

Despite what many people have been led to believe, butter is actually very healthy.  It is:

• A good source of vitamin A, which is a fat soluble vitamin needed for healthy skin, immune function and vision,
• High in vitamin E, which is an antioxidant that protects against cell damage and supports a healthy heart,
• Full of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been shown to have anticancer properties and may help you maintain your weight,
• Rich in butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that is a source of energy for cells in your intestines.  It can reduce intestinal inflammation and promote electrolyte balance in the body and
• High in saturated fat, as opposed to polyunsaturated fat (omega-6).

The high saturated fat content in butter gives it its high-heat smoke point.  Therefore, it can be used safely for many things, including sautéing, pan-frying, baking, roasting or simply spreading it on bread.  So don’t be afraid to use it.  In fact, use it generously!

Paprika Powder

Paprika is a very popular spice to have in a spice rack.  In fact, it is rated as the fourth most popular spice in the world, not far behind salt and pepper.  When looking into paprika, I was surprised to find that it is not just one pepper ground down into a powder, but several. 

In fact, it is made from a variety of dried and ground red peppers that are part of the Capsicum annuum family.  These peppers may include bell peppers, chili peppers and sometimes even cayenne peppers.  In Hungry, where paprika is the national spice, there are eight different grades of paprika, varying in heat and flavor.  The color can also vary from bright red to rusty brown.

Did you know that Christopher Columbus discovered chili peppers on his voyages to the New World at the end of the 15th century?  It’s true.  He brought the plants to the King and Queen of Spain at the end of his voyage.  Eventually, the plants spread throughout Europe.  In time, they made their way to Hungry.  Today, Hungry and Spain are considered the “gold” standard for paprika and its multiple varieties.

Paprika Uses

The uses for paprika are endless!  The Hungarian use it in their famous dish goulash.  The Spanish use it to make their spiced sausage, known as chorizo.  In India, it is used to make tandoori chicken.  But that is just the beginning. 

Paprika is well known to be sprinkled on deviled eggs.  But it can also be sprinkled on salads, vegetables and even corn.  It is also often added to soups, stews, casseroles, cheese spreads and marinades.  And let’s not forget that it is often used to smoke meats.

Health Benefits

Although fresh red peppers are very high in vitamin C.  Most of this vitamin C is destroyed during the drying and grinding process.  But don’t fret, paprika still retains many other health benefits.  Paprika contains carotenoids, which are a family of antioxidants.  Beta carotene is just one of the carotenoids found in paprika, which is converted into vitamin A in the body.  One tablespoon of paprika has been found to provide 100% of the daily recommended intake for vitamin A.

The antioxidants in paprika fight cell damage, promote healthy vision, reduce inflammation, improve cholesterol levels, may have anticancer effects and may improve blood sugar levels.  It is also rich in iron and vitamin E, which promotes healthy red blood cells.

What Can You Use Paprika Butter For?

The combination of these two nutrient dense foods really packs a punch in our diet.  I primarily add a dollop of this butter on Creamy Beef Stew.  However, it is also delicious on any cut of steak.  It would probably be delicious on fish, such as salmon, cod or Halibut, as well as chicken or pork chops, too.  Yet another good use for this delicious butter is to top your corn on the cob with it, for a spicy, sweet flavor.  Try it, also, on other steamed, roasted or grilled vegetables.

How Long Can I Refrigerate This Butter?

Since this is a seasoned butter, it will keep for a very long time in your refrigerator.  However, if you are worried that it won’t keep, you can freeze this butter in small portions.  I often make a large batch of this recipe and freeze it in one cup containers.  This saves me a step at busier times, when I’m looking for easy condiments to add to our meal for extra fat and flavor.

I hope you enjoy this paprika butter recipe and it brings delicious fat back into your diet.  It’s an especially great addition if you are following a low-carb, keto or Atkins diet.  Either way, enjoy!

Have you made this paprika butter recipe? What did you serve it on? Please share below.

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• Creamy Beef Stew
• Creamy Dill Dip
• Ketogenic vs. Low-Carb Diet